Monday, June 11, 2007

US Arrogance, atrocities and crimes guarantee generations of terrorism and Jihad against the US

Bush's order to attack and invade Iraq was and remains a war crime. -- a capital offense under US Codes. There is evidence that US troops are ordered to murder civilians. There is also probable cause to suspect that widespread atrocities are hushed up and go unpunished.

Bush himself is culpable and should be tried in an international court. Later, he should be tried in the US for the capital crime of ordering a war of aggression resulting in death. As did Nixon, Bush will claim to be above the law, assuming powers that even English monarchs dared not claim. Notably, Charles I asserted a "divine right" and, notably, he lost his head for having done so. Bush claims powers that would have made Charles I blush. Yet, Charles was called a tyrant and executed. Bush is called stupid and let off the hook. Where is justice?

“L’État, c’est moi” is attributed to Louis X1V (1638-1715) of France. Often called the "Sun King", his belief that he was the state flies in the face of those who believe that a nation is, in fact, its people. In the US, that principle is summed up by the words of James Madison whose draft of the Constitution establishes "popular sovereignty" as its first order of business. The founders of the United States, perhaps foreseeing a Bush-like megalomaniac, tried to build into the Constitution as many safeguards as could be envisioned.

I am angry! But worse, I despair that my government has abandoned the democratic ideals of millions of Americans who must now bear the shame that Bush has brought upon them. Once a beacon of hope and freedom, the US now stands for atrocity and repression. This is not my America.

Bush fails every American still loyal to the Constitution. Bush fails every American still hoping that we might redeem our reputation. Bush fails every American who's only crime was believing in the Constitution and the ideals of our founders. I am especially angered that George W. Bush, utterly unqualified to hold any public office, usurps power and presumes to carry out, in our name, a program of heinous war crimes.

I am pissed!

All Americans are tarred. All US citizens are shamed by his conduct and incompetence, his criminality and disdain for the rule of law.

Now --just some of the reasons that the US cannot claim to be the "good guys" in Iraq. We are, rather, villains who have no legitimate reason to be there in the first place.

"Allied" military personnel, possibly hired guns, firing at civilians at random in Iraq.

US soldiers making Iraqi children run for water.

US Marines firing at Iraqi civilians in cars

Yet more atrocities --US Marines Charged With Murder

US Tank crushes Iraqi civilian's car

For stealing wood, arrogant, stupid assholes who dare to assume that they represent US values, crush a civilian's car, just one of numerous atrocities. They should be made to forage for wood themselves before standing trial at the Hague.

And should you think that an isolated incident:

Americans! Get a clue! The rest of the world hates your sorry asses. But the American people might redeem themselves if they but overthrow George W. Bush and his gang of criminals, mass murderers and malicious liars and bring them to justice.

What is meant by justice? The Mikado said "Let the punishment fit the crime". There is, likewise, a clue to be found in the laws of the United States, laws that are reviled and flouted daily by the illegitimate and criminal dictatorship of one George W. Bush.

(a) Offense.— Whoever, whether inside or outside the United States, commits a war crime, in any of the circumstances described in subsection (b), shall be fined under this title or imprisoned for life or any term of years, or both, and if death results to the victim, shall also be subject to the penalty of death.

(b) Circumstances.— The circumstances referred to in subsection (a) are that the person committing such war crime or the victim of such war crime is a member of the Armed Forces of the United States or a national of the United States (as defined in section 101 of the Immigration and Nationality Act).

(c) Definition.— As used in this section the term “war crime” means any conduct—

(1) defined as a grave breach in any of the international conventions signed at Geneva 12 August 1949, or any protocol to such convention to which the United States is a party;

(2) prohibited by Article 23, 25, 27, or 28 of the Annex to the Hague Convention IV, Respecting the Laws and Customs of War on Land, signed 18 October 1907;

(3) which constitutes a violation of common Article 3 of the international conventions signed at Geneva, 12 August 1949, or any protocol to such convention to which the United States is a party and which deals with non-international armed conflict; or

(4) of a person who, in relation to an armed conflict and contrary to the provisions of the Protocol on Prohibitions or Restrictions on the Use of Mines, Booby-Traps and Other Devices as amended at Geneva on 3 May 1996 (Protocol II as amended on 3 May 1996), when the United States is a party to such Protocol, willfully kills or causes serious injury to civilians.

The latest war is not the only war in which the US, under the leadership of a Bush, has engaged in thuggery and war crimes. Don't forget Bush Sr and Persian Gulf I.

A Report on United States War Crimes Against Iraq to the Commission of Inquiry for the International War Crimes Tribunal

by Ramsey Clark and Others

Index of CrimesIndex of Crimes

The United States engaged in a pattern of conduct beginning in or before 1989 intended to lead Iraq into provocations justifying U.S. military action against Iraq and permanent U.S. military domination of the Gulf.

President Bush from August 2, 1990, intended and acted to prevent any interference with his plan to destroy Iraq economically andmilitarily.

President Bush ordered the destruction of facilities essential to civilian life and economic productivity throughout Iraq.

The United States intentionally bombed and destroyed Iraqi military personnel, used excessive force, killed soldiers seeking to surrender and in disorganized individual flight, often unarmed and far from any combat zones and randomly and wantonly killed Iraqi soldiers and destroyed materiel after the cease fire.

The United States used prohibited weapons capable of massdestruction and inflicting indiscriminate death and unnecessary suffering against both military and civilian targets.

The United States intentionally attacked installations in Iraq containing dangerous substances and forces.

President Bush ordered U.S. forces to invade Panama, resulting in the deaths of 1,000 to 4,000 Panamanians and the destruction of thousands of private dwellings, public buildings, and commercial structures.

President Bush obstructed justice and corrupted United Nations functions as a means of securing power to commit crimes againstpeace and war crimes.

President Bush usurped the Constitutional power of Congress as a means of securing power to commit crimes against peace, war crimes, and other high crimes.

President Bush encouraged and aided Shiite Muslims and Kurds to rebel against the government of Iraq causing fratricidal violence, emigration, exposure, hunger and sickness and thousands of deaths. After the rebellion failed, the U.S. invaded and occupied parts of Iraq without authority in order to increase division and hostility within Iraq.

President Bush intentionally deprived the Iraqi people of essential medicines, potable water, food, and other necessities.

The United States continued its assault on Iraq after the cease fire, invading and occupying areas at will.

The United States has violated and condoned violations of human rights, civil liberties and the U.S. Bill of Rights in the United States, inKuwait, Saudi Arabia and elsewhere to achieve its purpose of military domination.

The United States, having destroyed Iraq's economic base, demands reparations which will permanently impoverish Iraq and threaten its people with famine and epidemic.

President Bush systematically manipulated, controlled, directed, misinformed and restricted press and media coverage to obtain constant support in the media for his military and political goals.

The United States has by force secured a permanent military presence in the Gulf, the control of its oil resources and geopolitical domination of the Arabian Peninsula and Gulf region.

Meantime, Colin Powell, on Meet the Press, says that if he had his way, he would close Guantanamo and give "detainees" access to the Federal Courts.

Of course, detainees should have had access to the Federal Courts from the get go. What was Bush afraid of?